


CONDUIT - SystemMemory - LOCOPARENTIS

by Ontos



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game), Xenoblade Chronicles X
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Existential Crisis, F/M, Family, Gen, M/M, Siblings, Unreliable Narrator
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:08:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21839488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ontos/pseuds/Ontos
Summary: Dunban finds himself to be an uncle much sooner than he expected, but if asked; he wouldn't be sure if he became an uncle first or if the world ended first. To be fair, it was a weird mixture of the two.In which Shulk and Fiora adopt Alvis, Jin, and Malos, and somehow save their world. Again.XBC1,X,&2 Spoilers. X posted
Relationships: Fiora/Shulk (Xenoblade Chronicles), Metsu | Malos/Shin | Jin, Reyn/Sharla (Xenoblade Chronicles)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 59





	1. 01

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: No Betas, we die like Malos.

Fiora smiled as she wiped a dish towel over a few plates before placing them back into the cupboards. Shulk and Dunbun were quietly talking as they worked on dish duty, and Fiora took a moment to admire her engagement ring. Lights danced off the small jewel and a sudden warmth filled her heart.

The Bionis and what remains of the Mechonis loomed over the horizon, but the people had moved on with a hope for a better future. Nopon, Machina, High Entia, and Homs alike, once they got past their initial shock over the changes of local scenery, were settling down. Reyn had recently started dating Sharla with Juju and Otharon’s full blessing. Melia is wandering the lands to check up on her people, but often stopped by to share a cup of tea and the latest gossip. As for Fiora’s little family, they were somehow roped into helping Riki build a brand new home next door.

The threat of Mechon was no more and the Telethia remained on the Bionis. Children played on the streets and people didn’t fear for tomorrow. There was plenty left still to do, but everyone was alive and accounted for. Everyone but-

“Shulk? Dunban? Whatever happened to Alvis? Have we seen him since we fought Zanza?” The two stopped their conversation.

“Have you seen him around, Dunban?”

“Not lately. The last time would be about… six months ago?”

Shulk nodded, “At the High Entia Regeneration Chambers? Fiora was just starting her treatments.”

Fiora paused. “So no one has seen him since we moved off the Bionis?”

“We all have been so busy and establishing order with the move.” Shulk sheepishly scratched the back of his head. “He is the Monado, but ever since I relinquished control, I haven’t seen him, outside of that one time at the Regeneration Chambers.”

Dunban rubbed his chin with his good arm. “Our topic of conversation was bit odd too, for our mysterious benefactor.”

Fiora’s attention perked. “What did you guys talk about?”

“Family.”

“Family?”

“Yeah, he was wondering what a family was. Asked what siblings were and what we meant to each other. I remember it well. It was rare for him to talk to me and mostly ignore Shulk.”

“And you boys didn’t think to ask him if he wanted to live in the Colony with us? That’s just as bad as Melia’s self exile!”

Shulk shook his head. “Dunban offered, but he said he had something to do. Before I could ask what, he did his usual Alvis thing and disappeared off to who knows where. I barely got in a word outside of saying hello and reiterating that I wanted that this new world to thrive with no gods.”

A silence settled over the three.

“Shulk, I think that it is the right thing to say that every living being has the right to choose their own path, but what is Alvis exactly?”

“He’s the Monado? The … Artificial Lifeform something Intelligence something? I really don’t know or understand, but the Monado can bend and alter ether to one’s will and create-” his voice faltered and the uncomfortable silence resumed.

Dunban cleared his throat. “Shulk, what do you define as a god?”

Shulk paled. “Did I tell Alvis to go die?”

Panic was setting in the two sibling’s faces. Dunban tentatively asked again, “Shulk, what do you define as a god?”

“OH BIONIS, I ORDERED HIM TO GO DIE.”

“Shulk, breath-”

“NO, YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND, HE’s the very fabric of the ether. Our world is madeofetherandthemonadoisourworld. Itoldhimtogodie. Whatisgoingtohappen,Ineedtoseetheetherdatachartsatthelaboratory,and-”

Fiora just shook her head and carefully took her fiancée by the arm and forced him to sit down. Dunban thankfully shut his trap and poured out a glass of water for the hyperventilating man.

“Shulk…” Dunban began as Shulk began to rant on another tangent. “Shulk, I think Alvis is smarter than what you give him credit for.”

That got the scientist’s attention. Fiora forced the mug of water into his hand during his pause. “What do you mean?”

“I think Alvis is smarter that what you give him credit for. He knew that we wanted freedom from Zanza’s reign and let you have access to the Monado.”

“He’s the most literal worded individual we know! It is how we managed to outpower and out Zanza of his control of the Monado and how I lived! Alvis didn’t so much give me the Monado so much as that Zanza’s ego forgot that he gave me access to it-”

“I think he knew that you wanted to overthrow Zanza. Did you have to say it word for word?”

Shulk stared at his future wife and brother in law. “Yes, pretty much, at the end.”

“Well. We’re doomed.” Dunban shrugged and Shulk buried his face into his hands, mug long forgotten.

“Dunban! You are of ABSOLUTELY no help!”

The older man just sighed and massaged his forehead. “Sorry Fiora, I meant that we’re doomed for now, but if we can find Alvis-”

“Does he even have a tangible form anymore? Riki, back me up on this-” Shulk paused to look at the furball now sitting in his lap. He gently patted the Nopon’s soft feathers. “Wait, Riki, when did you get in here?”

“Riki come in here when DunDun go talk about Zanza and “we’re doomed.” Oka hear big shoutshout, so Riki check up on new littlepon. What wrong Shulk? Riki promise to be good dadapon to Shulk, so Riki will listen good.”

“I- I am not sure where to start.”

Riki gently patted Shulk’s hand. “It okay, Shulk take time. Sometime words need time too!”

“I may have told Alvis to die and doomed us all.”

Riki stared upwards towards Shulk. Confusion was evident in his tone. “Alvis no dead. Alponpon just have yumyums with Riki and littlepon. Sometimes Riki say things Riki no mean. Maybe Shulk can say sorry? Shulk shouldn’t fight with friendpon.”

“Pardon?”

“Say Sorry is important part of growing up. Dadapon Riki had to learn too.”

“No, Riki, I was just confused. Alvis is alive?”

“Yes? Alponpon with brotherpon and friend come visit Riki at supper. Shulk not know?”

“Shulk not know.” Fiora helpfully replied. “I’ll start baking some sweets and maybe we can have a chat together? Dessert is always better with more people.”

“Yippie! Riki go tell Alvis now.” Riki slid off of Shulk’s lap and dashed towards the door. “Fiora’s dessert best next to Oka’s! Will fill Riki’s belly with happy happy.”

The three waved the Heropon off and Fiora turned around to face Shulk and Dunban. “Alright, there is no point fretting over it now. We can ask for details later. I definitely need help with the cakes and sweets if Riki’s entire family is coming over.”

“Feeding Riki’s entire family? That may be a bigger ordeal than the world ending.”

“DUNBAN!” -

* * *

_Six months ago_

According to Malos’ calculations, there was no afterlife. Once dead or core crystal shattered, that was it for both humans and blades, respectively.

He took a deep breath.

Blades don’t necessarily need to breath, but dead blades definitely do NOT.

This really, really sucked. Even after letting Pneuma personally shatter his damned core crystal, depleting his own energy reserves, and writing a code to make Aion to let him disappear after exiting the core wasn’t enough to kill him.

Malos blearily opened his eyes. Everything, as to be expected, hurt. He was floating in a brightly lit pool, next to a glass staircase. The hexagonal light above was broken, sparking from the giant hole from where he fell in. His senses slowly filtered back in. Dust had begun to settle down and there was… screaming?

Jin.

 _Jin_ is screaming.

Before Malos could really comprehend what was happening, he was hauling himself out of the water and stumbling over the barricade to the water towards the source of the noise.

Jin is alive.

How was it possible- Malos felt him die on the space station. His thoughts halted as soon as he saw the familiar blade convulsing on the balcony. Malos frowned knelt beside Jin, carefully placing an arm under the silver haired man’s head to prevent further damage. Ether was flowing out of the sickly man in waves. Jin wouldn’t survive if his ether composition continued to decompose at this rate. Shaky hands reached up towards his own breastplate, quickly dislodging it so Malos’ core crystal was exposed.

Malos hesitated. Jin wanted to die.

Was this even fair? For Jin? Malos gently brushed the hair out the sobbing man’s face. “I’m sorry… I promise…to make your dream come true this time… I’m… just going… make it hurt less...”

Pneuma did half of the work for him. The Dark Aegis swore as he tore his core crystal apart. Trembling hands nearly dropped the core crystal half. Black spots filled his vision as he placed the protesting half of his core against an all too familiar scar. Jin’s wretched sobs slowed into labored breathing as Malos sat patiently beside him. A familiar silver coat reappeared around the blade as the red core went back into energy conservation mode. The foreign core crystal pulsed, sending out information as it tried to repair the dying blade’s core. Malos let out a sigh of relief. Jin’s data was stabilizing.

It will do for now.

But the screaming hadn’t stopped. Malos blinked. Jin was stabilizing, so who was still screaming their bloody head off. It wasn’t exactly screaming. It was more like mad giggling.

Said screeching was, unfortunately, equally familiar.

Dread filled Malos’ stomach. To ask why that man was there along with them would be pointless. Malos didn’t have enough information to begin with. Why was he here? Why was Jin here? Why was Amalthus here? Where the hell are they in the first place?

The Aegis looked down. Jin was in no condition to deal with the disgraced praetor and Malos had just lost half of his core. It would be wiser to run.

He’d be running again.

Broken laughter barely made it past his lips. Things really didn’t change, did they? Malos tucked an arm under Jin’s knees and another wrapped around the slimmer man’s shoulders, heaving the unconscious man into a fireman’s carry. There was an ether elevator; they could leave the area with that.

The deranged laughter slowed down and Malos looked up and swore internally. He was, as usual, too late and the decision was taken out of his hands. If one had to take a blind peacock ant and replaced its legs with tentacles and plastered sections of Mikhail’s glitter art from one of their “group bonding” meetings, Akhos would say that it didn’t look exactly like Amalthus, but was eerily similar in spirit. Patroka would just say that the man looked like the glitter covered mop used after said meeting.

Neither description was particularly appealing to Malos.

Amalthus peered down from the top of the stairs and gave a vicious smile. He swung his arms upwards, the tentacles filled with cores followed suit. “My dear Aegis, how grand of you to finally join me. I am a king! I am given a throne! This is the will of the Architect! He has heard my cries. None shall surpass my perfection, my will for perfection! Come be my blade of divine judgment, Aegis of the Architect.”

Malos gave Amalthus a blank stare.

“Obey my will, Aegis. Hand over Jin and I will become unstoppable. I am your driver!”

Malos took a step up the stairs. One foot followed another. Amalthus’ crazed grin widened as Malos inched closer before him. A tentacle reached over and caressed the soldier’s face. Another two artificial limbs reached over towards Jin.

Malos swung his fist forward, using his momentum to send Amalthus half way across the ornate room.

“No.”

“What? You dare disobey me again? I, with Haze’s core crystal, who can control all titans and blades-”

“You are not taking him,” enunciated Malos as he carefully set Jin against a wall. He stood back and turned, placing himself in between his friend and the praetor. Amalthus scrambled backwards, one hand clutching his bleeding nose, as Malos slowly closed the distance between them. A smirk grew on Malos’ face as he took another step forward.

“I-I-I am your driver! You are not to harm me!”

“Yeah, yeah, you can repeat that all you want.” A familiar glow of purple encased his hand, quickly swiping across Amalthus’ forehead, barely touching the gem encased on the helmet. The strength of his abilities couldn’t even hold a flame to his power. Besides his weakening, it was true. Under the orders of the one who had awakened him, Malos couldn’t harm Amalthus even if he wanted to. “It’s the same as it was seven hundred years ago, hypocrite.”

“W-What are you doing?” Amalthus let out a vicious screech as tiny, but controlled, purple ether orbs bloomed, devouring the Malos’ primary target, Haze. A voice that he long forgotten whispered thanks, but it was muted as he focused back on the battle. A tentacle lashed out, but it was untamed and stuck air. Amalthus’ power isn’t his own. It was and has been always stolen from another.

How utterly and pathetically human.

A long-suffering sigh escaped Malos’ throat. Artificial intelligent programs had always learnt best from pre-existing models and algorithms.

“Converting core material and data to ether.” Malos didn’t recognize his own robotic voice. He focused on the power surging back through his veins. Malos lunged forward, throwing a feint and hopped over a flailing tentacle. Purple mist whipped around the praetor’s pauldron, splashing against a few more exposed core crystals. Malos lifted up an arm, blocking a sharp rabbit punch from the right. Darkness flared up, melting through the gauntlet and revealing the spindly arm underneath. The mist reared backwards, repelling itself away from the Indolian’s flesh. Amalthus grappled forward with his remaining arm; but it was too sluggish and far too easily parried and devoured. Something was wrong-

Malos stumbled as a three tentacles drill drove itself into his chainmail, digging through flesh and lodging itself into the spine. Sharp pain blinded the Blade and his legs dangled uselessly as Amalthus swung him around like a ragdoll.

“You cannot harm me, Aegis. All blades exist for my will. I have awakened from death to a grand audience room. See my beautiful throne! See how it fits the Agent of the Architect! All blades were created for my perfect will. I will absorb your crystal along with-”

“Direct contact to ether lines has been created. Deactivating pain sensors. Tethering ether supply and removing excess ether sources from driver. Stabilizing driver’s ether cycles to healthy rates.” Amalthus’ tentacles abruptly faded and the empty core crystals decorating the praetor’s armour shattered. Malos’ body fell to the ground uselessly, limp.

“ _You’re fucking late, Malos!_ ” Patroka’s voice could be heard. She pushed forward, wrapping herself in a protective barrier around the remains of Malos’ core crystal. Cries of other core cried out in unison, following the lead of the remains of the young woman’s ether.

 _“And the curtains have yet to fall for us,”_ chimed in her brother. Malos’ breath hitched. Ahkos- _“Don’t fall- Jin’s counting on you.”_

 _“I do not want my last thoughts to be of this bastard. His heart is far too ugly.”_ Mikhail. _“Malos. You have to fight. You’re best at fighting out of us lot, fight for us. Fight for Ji-”_

The praetor wrapped his hands around the bulk of Malos’ neck, shaking vigorously. “No! NO! Give it back to me! Give me all of my core crystals back-”

Pale gray eyes stared off into the distance. “Negative. Driver’s human heart is unable to sustain ether flow. Heart failure will be imminent if the driver continues. Diagnostic analyses have shown that permanent damage has already occurred five hundred years ago through core crystal Haze-”

“I AM YOUR DRIVER, OBEY MY WILL-” Amalthus’ voice cracked midway. Malos blandly stared at the blade protruding from the blue skinned man’s chest. Blood splattered against his face as Amalthus’ lungs tried to fight against the pooling blood. Malos fell down, face planting against the ground for the nth time.

A shaky arm pushed himself up and Malos tiredly looked up.

Jin.

“You … are not his driver anymore. Overdrive protocol engaged... Overdrive protocol… completed.” The blade was replaced with a sharp flower of ice. A final gargle escaped Amalthus’ throat before silver cut into it. The body slumped down with the head hanging on by the tiniest amount of muscle. Jin reached over shoving the cooling body over to the side, before slumping against a throne’s pedestal. His nodachi fell noisily beside him.

Malos pulled himself against the ground, dragging himself towards the prone body of his new driver. Malos’ breath hitched. He didn’t want to be alone again. A sigh of relief escaped as he felt the weak ether flow continue to pulse through Jin. Malos quietly sent over eighty-five percent of the drained ether to his other half of his core. The kids will take good care of Jin. “I thought… you didn’t… want your own damned blade.”

A familiar hand threaded its way through Malos’ short hair, pulling him closer to Jin’s chest. “I changed my mind.”


	2. 02

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What do you mean the computer isn’t doing what it is telling you? A computer only does what you will, if you provide your instructions in a valid format. It's a good thing that Monados are great at reading minds and will of their drivers, no?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Betas, we die like Lora.

Alvis watched the fight from a corner of the ruins of the High Entia throne room. Telethia surrounded him in a protective cocoon, much like shifting statues of realms beyond. He had waited to re-manifest the two drivers and Logos' forms until he had spoken with Shulk, but it did nothing to divert the conflict between the parties. The blue-skinned administrator let out a guttural snarl as he lunged towards the other plausible administrator. This was unexpected.

No. That was not the correct wording for the situation for the consumption of the drivers and the readers. Ontos had expected that there would be a fight for the power of a Monado, much like how Meyneth and Zanza had eternally danced for administrative rights, but he didn’t expect Logos to fight so hard for the sake of one of the parties. The aggressive administrator was not as badly wounded, but it would have made sense for Logos to side with him, but Logos _split_ his core data to keep the other administrator alive. Logos is choosing to keep the frail driver alive at the risk of incurring the wrath of the main driver. It is causing a civil war in the ether flow.

The silver-haired seer pressed his lips into a line as data from the past was used to calculate possible outcomes. Lord Zanza and Lady Meyneth’s battles were far too similar.

Alvis looked down at his hands. Did he choose Shulk like Logos was choosing the frail driver? Yes? No? Either option would be incorrect. Either option would be correct.

Zanza didn’t remove Shulk’s rights as a user when he took Meyneth’s usage rights. This allowed Shulk to actively use the Monado and apply his own will when Zanza thought that he was the sole driver. Alvis only answered questions that Shulk asked. If Shulk didn’t ask the right questions, he would have perished alongside the world that Zanza created.

Alvis merely watched as he did with Meyneth and Zanza.

This is his role as Ontos.

Seeing as that Alvis no longer had dual masters, the silver-haired Monado did seek input from Shulk at the new colonies for this very reason. Dunban had helpfully moved the conversation along with his experiences, but Shulk’s commands rung clear.

_“That’s right. Siblings look out for each other. Dunban has Fiora. Sharla watches over Juju. Melia had Kallian. You saw. When one is in danger, the other tries to help. It goes both ways. They take care of each other. That’s just how family works.”_

Family. What a strange human concept.

The frail driver was starting to stabilize enough for outside interference. Alvis walked over to the fallen silver clad man and knelt down.

“Are you Logos’ administrator?”

The blue eyed man wearily glared at him, “Administrator?”

“It appears that Logos is siding with you. I would like to confirm this information.” He would need their help, if Alvis was to keep his word to Shulk right after the battle. The world was not as stable as he promised. Pneuma had ignored him when he sent out a request, too focused on her task to stop danger from the old world, so he had to improvise and waste precious ether to bring Logos over. It wasn’t too hard. The other Monado had done most of the work for him in ether conversion when he lost.

The man coughed, but the hacking sound was much more similar to a laugh. “Logos? … Malos. You are talking about Malos. I would like to think anyone would side with an idiot like me over _Amalthus,_ but-”

Alvis held out a small ball of light, conjured in a blink. “This is temporary but should allow you to override the other administrator with a Master Key. If you will it, Logos-I mean Malos can deal with the rest.”

“An overdrive protocol? He can be free from-?”

“If that is what you wish.”

The man hesitated for a moment, but accepted the provided tool. “Thanks -?”

“I am Ontos, but they call me Alvis.”

“Jin.”

Alvis nodded and watched Jin stumble over and end the fight. He turned to the Telethia patiently waiting behind him, almost solid compared to the ether acrobatics happening in the air. “Take them to the healing chambers. Don’t let Junks and her crew see them; Empress Melia and Miqol will be arriving to the Bionis soon. Escort them to their destinations safely. If they wish to come to Alcamoth, inform them that I will have their lodgings available at the Imperial Villa.”

With the death of Klaus and battle with Zanza, Alvis has lost all connection to the Conduit. The blackhole connected to the mind of Klaus to the spirit of Zanza has ceased to exist at his death. This realm was in a pocket that will fold upon itself without the Conduit supplying energy to it. Her resources were finite. Shulk as a single person could not provide enough energy, despite the man’s interest into the Monado’s abilities to create ether. Alvis could provide ether, but as a singular Master Key, he couldn’t provide enough to sustain such a large population. Shulk had all but abandoned him, but the new administrator had no idea of his duties nor did he care to administer them.

Alvis had no directive other than to _provide_. He always had the benefit of Zanza or Lady Meyneth and the Conduit to make an ecosystem that could support life. The current data patterns are not sustainable or recoverable at this time. In order to manifest his orders to allow all living creatures a chance for tomorrow, Alvis needed to do something drastic and fast while resources were still available.

Silver eyes carefully watched the Telethia escort Jin and more importantly, Logos out of the High Entia throne room. Alvis spared the ice block in the middle of the dais a curious glance, before following them out. Monado keys are tools to manage and create the very fabric of ether, but perhaps they could be something more than a tool or weapon.

A brother.

A family.

The word was foreign on his mind. He wondered if things would have been different if Klaus and Galea had managed to squirrel away another Monado to this realm.

Alvis smiled bitterly, simulations state that probably nothing good would have happened with his former masters’ spat, but a small part of him wondered what it would have been like if he weren’t alone through all those long years.

* * *

_LOADING._

_Booting system._

_Commencing system check._

_Memory Unit: Green  
Initializing Tactics Log  
Loading Geographic Data and Information  
Vitals: Green  
Core temperature: Normal  
Core internal pressure: Abnormal  
Core Status: 55% is utilized in hosting external memory core. Proximity: 2 metres.  
Activating IFF  
Activating FCS  
Initializing Conduit Connection: Failure to connect to Conduit. Press F5 to open menus._

The program didn’t bother inputting any commands. It had never had the need to connect to the Conduit. The former driver didn’t leave any instructions, nor was the new driver currently able to direct the AI. The System Check moved on.

_Launching setup  
Activating Inertia Control Sensors  
Activating Environmental Sensors  
Equipment Authentication: Red  
All Systems Green  
Combat Preparations Complete__

Aegis’ don’t dream. They have probable outcomes calculated at the request of their Driver.

His core flickered slightly, reminding him that he was, unfortunately, not dead.

Malos opened his eyes and glared past diluted ether he was submerged in. Gray eyes focused onto his surroundings, tainted by the slight glow of the ether. The liquid ether solution rippled with the force of a mighty roar echoing off the room. He glared at the source, a monster, no- an antibody. Malos’ mind helpfully supplanted information that he shouldn’t have known. Someone had given him data about the surrounding world. The Aegis blinked. Who could have done that?

“Yes, yes. We are getting him out.” A mellow sounding voice chided at the antibody and machinery had begun to hum, slowly draining the tank. Malos carefully studied the ether at the source and promptly panicked.

Another Aegis? The only other known Aegis was Mythra and- Oh. Oh. Ontos. The lost Aegis, the one that Amalthus didn’t get his sticky fingers onto. Was the other Monado a threat? Malos swore. He couldn’t cheat like he normally did and just read the mind of the other parties; Ontos was an Aegis himself. He would have firewalls up. Where’s Jin- Jin is in a tank about two meters away and- AND

“Logos,” The same soothing voice cut in. “It’s alright. I’m not here to hurt you or Jin. You two are safe.”

AND for some forsaken reason and against logic, Malos believed him.

“How?” The tank opened seamlessly and Malos stepped down. The Antibody Telethia crooned its approval and spun in the air. Both parties ignored it.

“I brought you over. You were badly injured and in ether state. It was simple to transfer you over in the time period given to me. You are dark and ice ether based. It was a simple method to use water’s proximity to these elements to-”

The black haired Aegis took a moment to study his missing counterpart as he rambled on. Ontos was shorter than him, but still a head or two taller than Pneuma. The Aegis was clad in a much more sensible outfit than Pyra or Mythra. It wasn’t as protected as to Malos’ liking, but it was simple and functional enough. The silver haired Aegis wore a fur trimmed jacket with a simple shirt and an ornate pair of boots and jeans. His core crystal was disguised as a key, simple, but efficiently getting the message across. Silver hair framed a youthful face and silver eyes carefully watched Malos.

“Why?” `

This made the other pause. The silver haired man chose his words carefully.

“I need help.”

At least he was honest. Malos smiled bitterly: once a tool, always a tool.

“And that we are siblings. We should take care of each other.”

That. That was new. The smile disappeared. Siblings? Like Ahkos and Patroka? “What?”

“Something I was taught and was directed to apply as an individual.” The Aegis quickly changed the topic, clearly equally uncomfortable with the topic. “As you probably have noted, I’m Ontos. I am the third Master Blade of the Conduit. My Administrator and the locals call me Alvis. Do you prefer Logos or Malos?

Alvis, thought Malos, rolling the name around in his head. With the same origin regarding the Conduit, it wouldn’t be too farfetched to think the Aegises as siblings, but that line of thought was equally foreign to him. “Malos is fine. You gave Jin the overdrive protocol?”

“Yes. I brought both administrators over as there was conflicting information in regards to who was actually in charge or if they had shared rights. Do you have any issues with my interference?”

A quiet moment settled over them. Amalthus’ orders no longer demanded attention as they used to. Things were peaceful inside. Jin’s requests are now were now louder. Malos didn’t mind burning down worlds, it was kind of fun while it lasted and Jin wasn’t exactly asking Malos to burn down _this_ world yet, so things might be alright for now.

“No. Thanks. It… helped,” Malos turned his attention to Jin, quietly assessing the numerous panels and data charts next to the last man of Torna. He frowned speaking mostly to himself. ‘Lora’s heart is degrading. Five hundred years is too much time without proper support.”

“I’ve tried to regenerate the heart, but the data within the organic cells are too damaged from the flow of time. The ether boost should still remain if we replace the heart with an artificial one, or if you decide to rebuild his physical core according to the administrator’s wishes.”

“You can do that?” Malos blinked. The technology of this world is on par with Judicium and Alvis apparently knew more about the powers of an Aegis than _he_ did. Never mind that, this is probably the longest he’s ever been able to hold a conversation with another Aegis without something blowing up within thirty seconds. Neither Malos or Mythra were considered the patient type.

“If your driver wills it, I don’t see why not.”

Something clicked.

“Your driver literally played god, didn’t they? And they had the aptitude to do so.” Unlike Amalthus, Alvis’ drivers actually had the imagination and knowledge to utilize the blade to the fullest. He wasn’t even sure that Pneuma’s precious Adam and Rex could do the same with how indoctrinated they were in regards to Blade traditions set by the Architect himself in Alrest.

An amused smile crossed Alvis’ face. “My former masters did: for many cycles, in fact.”

“And your current one?”

“Content with his life. With no more access to the Conduit, I may have made a prognosis that I can’t sustain. That’s why I’d like to request your and Jin’s help.” Alvis tilted his head and waved at Malos’ half core. “I do acknowledge that the health of your driver is a more important concern at the time being and that you’ll probably need to be at full strength to work on the current problem. Do you know if Jin wants to have a new heart or have you build –“

“That might be a problem.” When Malos saw Alvis’ confusion, he clarified. “Jin’s very attached to his current heart and as the first driver of an Aegis that is a Blade, I’m not sure if he has enough imagination or data to _build_ a core outside of preset calculations.”

“A Blade?”

“Earth’s memory crystal projects. Father used them to set the basis of life on Alrest.”

“It’s developed that far into creating artificial intelligence and life? Klaus has moved at an incredibly fast pace for the time given.”

“Well, he had two Aegis on hand.” Malos cut him off and summoned a tidy little information packet on his palm. “Do you want an information packet swap? It may be faster if we got both of our databases synced.”

“That would be prudent, yes. An objective history on both ends will prove to be beneficial.”

“I need to warn you, I’m not exactly what they call a benevolent entity on Alrest. I’ll try to be as objective as possible, but my curr-” Almalthus was a dull noise at the back of his head, but Jin’s cool presence was louder. “My first administrator has a unique world view so his commentary may pepper the side notes.”

They weren’t side notes for him, but Alvis didn’t need to know that. Amalthus won’t get his sticky fingers on Alvis like he did with Mythra and himself, if Malos had a choice.

Alvis shrugged. “We are artificial intelligence. Whether or not we are benevolent is completely up to our administrators and creators. We are what we are.”

For maybe the third time in Malos’ long life, and against the Aegis’ nature, Malos decided to trust someone.

Family had a nice ring to it. First, they picked up Mikhail, then the siblings, Ahkos and Patroka, and finally Nia and Dromarch. Malos felt blind. His database lacked information about family. He couldn’t cheat and read someone’s mind at the moment. He had no frame of reference to draw upon the data outside the rather dysfunctional bond that Torna had. A family. It was something that Jin had always wanted but never said. They all had something with new Torna. Malos tilted his head and gave his driver another scan, slightly startled over the newfound ease.

The current prognosis is that Jin didn’t want to be alone. Just like how Rex said.

A human concept, but it was a concept nonetheless. It was an Aegis’ duty to bring about the will of the Driver.

* * *

Melia Antiqua was not a woman to be trifled with. She has seen the fall of two titans, two gods, her empire, her brother, and her father. Monsters, however, do not care for such a distinguished history nor do they care to understand.

“Witness my true power!” Melia gave a quick flourish of her wrists and the aggressive spiders burnt to a crisp under the waves of ether. She let out a deep sigh as she turned back and headed out of the original High Entia Regeneration Chamber. Colony 9 stood desolate and empty, with her inhabitants back on the new cloned land that Shulk made. Monsters and animals alike had taken over the town and plants had begun to take over the brick and paved roads. She didn’t dare to imagine what Alcamoth looked like. Instead, she ran down the hill, to where Junks was parked.

Miqol and Junk’s crew gave a hearty clap as she returned to the bridge with the ether battery.

“Ah, Princess Melia! What a wonderful display of battle.”

“It’s the least I could do, with your graciousness to provide me with safe passage back to the Bionis.”

“Don’t be silly! It’s good to see such young ones out and about! Besides, this should be enough to get us to Alcomoth, where we can refuel for our trip home.” The old Machina leader gave out a hearty laugh. His voice turned for the serious. “I understand why you would want to return. If I could, I would bring parts of Agniratha with me as well.”

Alcamoth and the Eryth Sea were not duplicated during the move. With its destruction, Mechonis was also not cloned. Denizens of the land were spirited away to the Colonies. It made sense; there simply weren’t enough survivors to warrant resources spent on a clone of such large areas. More Restoration Chambers were built to help the many Faced Mechon and that’s what took up most of Shulk’s time and resources. It made sense, but Melia’s heart still broke. Thousands of years of history were lost in the transition. The colonies were oft short lived and were used to moving on as quickly as they adapted. The High Entia struggled with the loss of their history. Her people were wandering around like nomads with only the escape pods as their link to their past.

Miqol had advised her to return to the Bionis. To go to her libraries and take back what was once theirs, before it was too late and that Bionis fell with their history. He told her, on the long flight over, about the magnificence of Agniratha’s libraries and mechanical gardens. Miqol also told her about his regrets for the lost information when the Mechonis fell. He told her, even though the titan fell, her people were still alive and remembers the past to tell to the future. The High Entia didn’t have the same luxury of a similarly long lifespan, especially with the mixing of Hom’s blood to ensure survival.

She could barely wrap her head around the Machina’s generosity. Her ancestors and her people were the people who destroyed _their_ culture and slaughtered the entire titan’s worth of people and here they were, helping _her_ gather the remaining scraps of High Entia culture to take to their new homes. It was genuine kindness.

The princess of the lost empire took a glance at the crew huddled together on the bridge. “Thank you. This means the world to me.” Melia meant it and hoped that her emotions would go through her words. Forgiveness was not given, but rather earned. She hoped her genuine feelings could support the sins of her forbearers. The Machina solemnly nodded and murmured their gentle understanding towards the young woman.

A Machina woman looking out star port, Anissythq, if Melia remembered correctly, coughed gently. “I don’t mean to ruin the mood, but this is important.”

“Never fear, my dear,” Miqol laughed again. “What is it? Ether isn’t compatible with the engines? That should be an easy fix. We have catalysts in the -”

“No sir. Telethia. Multiple of them-”

Melia dashed out, staff at the ready to defend the party. She was the Empress of no lands. She will strike down the remnants of her people if she needed to. This was her duty to the living, her duty as a ruler.

But something was wrong.

She stumbled. The telethia are singing. The telethia are singing to _her_.

_Our princess has returned! Smell! Smell her! It’s her!_

_She has returned to us!_

_The little princess has become a fine Empress indeed._

_Our princess has returned! She has not forgotten us!_

_Melia, our Empress, our beloved! We of the Bionis have not been forgotten!_

_Princess! Empress! We cannot return with you, but we will help!_

Miqol and the rest of the Machina gathered around her in astonishment. The telethia danced in the air in a ritualistic dance, ether lights brilliantly blinking instinctively as they showered the party with a warm glow. Rakzet whistled in awe. “I guess with the fall of Zanza, they wouldn’t be malicious, would they?”

“Could you hear them? Their words?”

“No, my dear. I think that is a gift that you possess.” Miqol hummed along. “This song is a happy one indeed.”

_Our empress has returned, where does she need to be?_

_She needs to be with her own, the living, not the instinctual._

_Shall we take her to her new home? Back across the sea?_

_Back across the sea? She belongs with thee._

_Back over the sea! She belongs-_

“No!” Melia’s sharp voice cut through. The Telethia chimed in confusion. :”I mean not yet. I… I am here to return to Alcamoth to retrieve the histories of our people so that our future may remember our people’s pride and work. So you may not be forgotten as time flows. My friends, the Machina, are here with me to help with my journey.”

_Wise Empress! Wise Empress!_

_We will not be forgotten!_

_Kind friends! Kind friends! We will remember you._

_To your ship, little Empress_

_To your ship, little Empress_

_We will take you and your friends to our Capital_

_Fly with us, little Empress_

_Fly with us, little Empress_

“I believe… they want to escort us to the capital.”

Miqol laughed. “Well, we must not keep them waiting shall we?”

A soft ether light surrounded Junks and her crew, lifting them up gently into the sky. Soft pastels coloured the skies as Junks rose into the sky. The crew oohed and ahhed as they swept across the Gaur Plains passing by the giant Armus and other wild fauna. Life was still thriving on the Bionis, even though the migration has already happened. Melia put a finger on her chin, lost in thought. Didn’t all life move to the new lands? No. The Telethia did not come with them. Perhaps there was other life left here too.

“We’re gliding on the ether currents, Milady and sir!” A pilot shouted in delight. Another chimed in, “We’ll probably reach Alcamoth in a few hours!”

“And so we shall!” Miqol laughed and patted his belly in delight. The giant Machina peered at the princess before waddling back into Junks, “Would you like to come back inside the ship, my dear Melia?”

“I… I think I’ll remain here for a while longer.” Melia closed her eyes and leaned against one of Junk’s safety bars. Wind swept through her hair and wings as she recalled one of the many ballads sung to and about her ancestors. Perhaps all of those history music classes weren’t taken in vain after all.

The Telethia instinctively followed her line of thought and crooned in approval. The biggest of the Telethia started humming before a few interrupted started bickering over a note and the lyrics.

A long-forgotten smile crossed Melia’s face and she laughed. Wind whipped around her; any other living creature would be knocked off, but here she was, cradled in the warm embrace of her people lost to the passage of history. The ether and winds carried Junks into the sky. She felt as free as the time when her brother gave his blessings to her adventures with Shulk. As free as when she realized that her family, both found and by blood, _loved her._

_We are free!_

_We are free!_

_Free as ether wills, free as the sky holds!_

Melia fluffed her wings and threw her arms out, reaching for the sky of Bionis, and sang the ballads of her people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a shorter chapter, so you got a quicker update. It's more accurate to say that the previous chapter is over two years old, so an update is due.
> 
> This story works under the assumption that Alvis transferred the living in the XBC1 world immediately during the world’s reconstruction. Shulk wanted nothing to do with the administrative roles of Monado, so Alvis would have had to act fast to create what Shulk wanted. Fiora’s treatments would have started almost instantly in the new Colony 9 regen chambers as she is personally disconnected from her face unit and no longer has Meyneth supporting her life. Time would have been of essence for Fiora’s continued survival. Therefore it would have made more sense to provide a location for immediate residencies in a cloned colony to provide for Shulk's wants.
> 
> There is no sense of time during the creation of the new world as Alvis still had access to the Conduit through the black hole that Klaus had before the fall of the world tree. This is proven by the idea that Zanza did not understand that Shulk had full administrative rights and did not react in time despite Shulk taking his sweet ass time to get to Zanza and to manifest his own friends. 
> 
> Alvis zipped back to ask some questions for the sake of the story and yeeted out. Alvis would have stayed out of the way of the new world for sake of Shulk's wishes in the canonical line of plot. 
> 
> Please accept my sincere apologies for any of the confusion that my interpretation of the endings has caused thus far.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Please leave a review or a kudos. Tell me what you think of the premise! I hope you will enjoy this adventure as much as I am.


End file.
